Vissel Kobe got off to a strong start in the Asian Champions League Elite round of 16 on Wednesday with a 2-0 home win over Gwangju FC of South Korea in the first leg.
Their fellow J-League side Kawasaki Frontale, however, will need to turn things around in the second leg in a week’s time after going down 1-0 away to Shanghai Shenhua of China.
Two-time defending J1 champions Kobe are winless four games into the new domestic season, but they turned up on the night at Noevir Stadium with forward Yuya Osako nodding home a rebound for the 20th-minute opener after Haruya Ide’s header came off the bar.
Vissel Kobe’s Yuya Osako (2nd from L) celebrates his goal with his teammates during the first half of an Asian Champions League Elite round of 16 1st leg match against Gwangju FC at Noevir Stadium in Kobe on March 5, 2025. (Kyodo)
Osako’s cross from the right set up Ide in the 29th minute for their second with the attacker’s header hitting the inside of the far post before finding the net this time.
“We did well to prolong the period we were in possession and scored goals, too. We attacked well,” said Osako after his team’s first win since Feb. 11 across all competitions.
Vissel Kobe’s Haruya Ide (C, back) scores during the first half of an Asian Champions League Elite round of 16 1st leg match against Gwangju FC at Noevir Stadium in Kobe on March 5, 2025. (Kyodo)
Kawasaki had Yasuto Wakizaka’s 33rd-minute goal ruled out for offside following a VAR review and failed to find a breakthrough before the home team netted the game’s only goal in the 76th minute when Japan defender Kota Takai turned in a shot by Wilson Manafa that was heading off target.
“It wasn’t the result we were hoping for,” Kawasaki manager Shigetoshi Hasebe said. “I wonder how things would have been had we taken our chances before conceding. We couldn’t get our final passes right in the second half and had few shots.”
Kawasaki Frontale players including Yasuto Wakizaka (2nd from R) shake hands with Shanghai Shenhua players after an Asian Champions League Elite round of 16 1st leg match at Shanghai Stadium in Shanghai on March 5, 2025. (Kyodo)
Related coverage:
Football: Marinos finish atop ACLE East with win over Shanghai Port
Football: Marinos down Shanghai Shenhua in manager Holland’s 1st game
Football: Kobe cruise into ACLE last 16, joined by Kawasaki, Marinos
This content is reposted from the source: https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2025/03/ac51908765fb-football-kobe-take-lead-kawasaki-lose-in-acle-last-16-1st-leg.html
